12
“She’s absolutely perfect.” Mac’s heart melted as she looked down at the tiny human snuggled soundly between Olivia’s arms.
“She really is perfect, isn’t she?” With her long, brown hair hanging over one shoulder, Olivia looked both tired and beautiful. In awe at the baby she and Jake had created, she asked, “What do you think of the name? Lillian is after my great grandmother on my dad’s side, and Rose was her daughter.”
Mac smiled. “I think Lillian Rose McQueen fits this little brown-haired angel perfectly.”
Glancing up from her daughter since Mac had come into the room, the other woman asked, “Would you like to hold her?”
“Absolutely.”
In the most careful of exchanges, Mac cradled the miraculous bundle into her arms.
“I can’t believe you made something so incredible.”
“Well, I had a little help.”
The two women laughed softly together.
“Yes, I supposed you did. I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for your husband, though. A daughter?” Mac chuckled quietly, careful not to wake the baby. “He’s totally going to be the dad who sits by the door with a shotgun. I can already see it, him waiting for his little girl to come home from her date so he can scare the shi”—she looked down at the baby—“uh, crap out of her boyfriend.”
Olivia snorted. “Shotgun, my ass. Jake will probably have a freaking Uzi pointed at the poor boy.”
Another round of soft laughter filled the room as Mac sat in the chair next to her friend’s bed, keeping Lillian’s sleeping form protected as she moved.
“You’re pretty good at that, you know,” Olivia commented. “You should think about making one of your own soon. Maybe with that handsome partner of yours?”
It wasn’t the first time Olivia had mentioned how she and Coop should be together. It was, however, the first time Mac’s heart felt heavy at the thought, rather than skipping a beat.
Thankfully Jake had insisted on treating everyone to a meal at the facility’s twenty-four-hour cafeteria, giving Mac some much-needed time with her friend.
“Uh, oh.” Olivia frowned. “What happened?”
Mac shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Liar.”
She couldn’t help but grin. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, right now. Your focus should be on this beautiful little baby. Not my problems with Coop.”
“Problems? That suggests drama.” Olivia’s lips curled into a knowing grin. “Things have to happen in order for there to be drama.”
“Yes, but they aren’t things a woman who gave birth less than two hours ago needs to worry about.”
“I think that woman should get to decide for herself. Come on, Mac. It’s been forever since you and I have had a chance to really talk.”
She’d promised herself earlier she wasn’t going to mention anything about Coop or what had transpired between them. This day should be about Olivia, Jake, and Lillian Rose. Not her. On top of that, Mac’s private life had always been just that—private.
Maybe that’s something that should change.The thought gave her pause.
For years, Mac had mostly kept to herself. Sure, Olivia and the other R.I.S.C. wives were her friends, but they didn’t know everything.
If she wanted her life to be different, she needed to start making different decisions. Starting with letting those closest to her in.
In spite of her reservations, Mac gave in to her friend’s round, pleading brown eyes. “Fine. But you can’t tell another soul. And you have to swear you won’t tell Jake the stuff about me and Coop.”
“Ooh. A secret from Jake? This must be extra juicy.” Olivia carefully scooted herself up into more of a seated position. “I promise. Now, tell me everything.”
Twenty minutes later, Mac had spilled it all. Her true identity, her family history, and everything that had happened between her and Coop. Including the proposal.
